Brake for railway-trains



P. F. DUFOUR. BRAKE FOR RAILWAY TRAINS. APPLlcATloN HLED Anza. 1919. 1,352,586. PatentedSept. 14,1920.

' 3 SHEETSHSHEET 1.

P. F. DUFOUR. BRAKE FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29, 1919.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

:LSLIIEETSAHEU 2.

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P. F. DUFOUR.

BRAKE FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION man M1129, 1919.

Pamedsept. 14,1920.

43 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' specification.

UNITED STATES PATENT orifice.

PIERRE ERANcoIs DUEU'R, or PARIS, FRANCE.

BRAKE FOR RAILWAY-TRAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

f Patented Sept. 14, 11320.

Application Vfiled. April 2i), 1919. y Serial No. 293,565.

` To @Nichons t may Concern way-Trains, of which the following is a This invention has for its vide an improved braking apparatus for railway trains of the kind in which the braking action is effected by taking advantage of the momentum of being operated by the'buffers or other members when the cars crowd one upon another.

An important feature of the improved braking system resides in operating members may buffers ron one hand and to the draw bars or .like members on the other hand and combinedwith a control box operated by the engine driver and by meansof which the brake operating members can be connected with either the buffers or the draw bars, so that in one position (forward travel) the brakes are set by the buffers and in the other position (backward travel) the brakes are set by the draw-bars. The improved mechanism is extremely simple and capable of operating efiiciently in all the cases which may occur in practice.

Other features will appear from lowing description.

the foll- .lii the accompanying drawings which areY given by way of example:

Figur l. is a plan illustrating the draw provided with an improved automatic brake apparatus according to this invention.

Fig.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view gear adapted to be used -in combination with the 'apparatus shown in Fig. 1 for producing a continuous braking.

Fig. 4: is a shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic end view of a gear box employed for producing the braking of rearward motion.

Fig. (3 is a corresponding side elevation showing diagrammatically the whole mechanism, and

Republic of France,`

objectto pro-v v Fig. 5.

the cars, the brakesM that the brake be connected 4,to thek nally 2 is a detailed section drawn to a l larger scale. of certain parts shown in Fig. l.

of a ratchet direction of the car.

each side. are pivotally commi-ted to arms detailed section of certain parts v slides in a bushing `or sleeve 19. (Fie Fig. 7 is a plan thereof. y

Fig. 8 yis a horizontal section on the line 19e-b of Fig. 10 of one yconstruction of this gearbox. l

Fig. 9 isl a vertical section on the line c-c of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 isa vertical section on the line af-a of Fig. 8. f

Fig. 11 is an end view corresponding to Fig.'12 is a detailed front elevation of certain. parts of the gear box.

Fig. 13 is a corresponding side elevation. Fig. 14 is a corresponding plan.

Fig. 15 illustrates an elastic mounting of a wheel forming part ofthe said gear box. Fig. 16 is a viewr similar to Fig. 6 showing the connections employed in the case of a single gear box for each vehicle.

Fig. 17 is an end view of a gear box provided with an apparatus for allo'wingthe driver to bring the parts of saidbox antomaltically into a disengaged position.

Fig. 18 is a corresponding plan. Asshown in Figs. 1 and 2, longitudimovable rod 3 is mounted iii 'part buffer rod 1,

and is surl of the car frame behind each which carries the buffer head 12L rounded by the usnal buffer spring Q. ln a longitudinal recess iii the rod 3. is guided a plunger 7 wardly by a spring 6. The inner end of said plungerniay engage the corresponding end wall of the recess in the rod 3, so that when the buffer 1a is forced inwardlyby the buffer of the preceding car when the cars crowd up, the buffer rod` willr push the rod 3 iiiwardly through 'the medium of the spring plunger 7 The rod actuates, either directly or through themedium of a lever 5, a rod-16 provided in ythe longitudinal Both rods 1G. one on 15 (Fig. 6) which are keyed on the ends a transverse shaft 25 rotatably mounted in :i controlling boxshown diagrammaticaliy at 14: in Fig. 1

The draw-barll which carries the hoigk l1 can, through the medium of said sl a rod 10 forwardly. A spr: in posed between a head on sur the corresponding end wall of the sleeve which is normally forced out-4 The rod l is connected at its rear end to a two arms 17 keyed on the end of a'transverse shaft 26 rotatably mounted in the control box le.

The construction of thel brakes proper is not a part of the present invention. F ig. 6 shows diagrammatically and by way of example, a brake shoe a carried by a lever which is pivoted at c on the frame and pivotally connected to an operating rod (Z. InA

the example shown, the braking action is persistent ef. e. remains operative when the operating member (buffer or draw-bar) is no more actuated member on the adjacent car. For the purpose of obtaining such persistent braking, an oscillating sector 3 is interposed `between the rod d and a corresponding rod d and a pawl 9 coi'iperates with said sector, said pawl being normally held in engagement with the sector by a spring. The pawl can be disengaged from the sector by 'an oscillating finger 9 actuated by a rod The rod al is connected to an arm i9 keyed on a shaft 27 in thef control box and the rod f is pivotally connected to the arm` keyed on a shaft 28. Both shafts 27, 28 are coaxially arranged in the control box as hereinafter described. They have been shown slightly shifted laterally in Fig. 6 for the sake of clearness.

In the case of forward travel, the shaft is coupled with the shaft 27 as will be shown later on. Consequently, when the buffer is pushed inwardly, by thebulfer of the preceding car, the arm 19 is swung and actuates the brake through the mediiim of the rod CZ, the sector 3 and the rod al. rllhe pawl 9 holds the brake in the set position. On the other hand, the shaft 2G is coupled with the shaft 28 so that when the train speeds up 'again and the draw-bar is pulled out, the arm 20 is swung and actuates the linger 9. rlhe pawl 9 is then disengaged by said finger and the brake is released.

For backward travel, the respective ac tions must be reversed, the brakes being set by the draw-bar and released by the buffer rods. rl`his result is obtained by clutching the shaft 25 of the control box with the sha-ft 2S and clutching the shaft 26 with the shaft 27. ln the example shown, the operative parts of the control let are actuated by a motor 2l which may be a compressed air or an electric motor and actuates a lever 22 fixed on a shaft extending into the box. 23 is a spring opposing the action of the motor 2l; it allows of employing only one singleacting cylinder or electric motor. 24; are springs for returning at rest, the levers l5, 17, 19 and 2O into a fixed position.

Figs. S to ll show diagrammatically the details of the gear box la.

The four shafts 25, 26, 27 and 28 are in by the corresponding one and the same plane. The shaft 25 has permanently fixed on it two wheels 29 and 29. The shaft 26 has likewise permanently iixed upon it two wheels 30 and 30 which are situated nearer to the axisv :r-z/ than the wheels 29. The shaft 27 carries a wheel 3l, and the shaft 28 carries a wheel 32, each .driving the corresponding shaft by means of a key while being able to slide axially along `:ach shaft and thus come into contact either with one of the wheels 29 or with one of the wheels 30. Each of the wheels 29 and the wheels 30 has a notch l33, and each of the wheels 3l, 32 has two diametrally'situated pins S1,.-. One of these pins, when its wheel comes in contact with a wheel 29 or 30, engages in the corresponding notch in the latter wheel. The notches and pins are so arranged as to face each other when the corresponding shafts and other levers are in the position of rest, which position is lined and assured by the stops and springs 24C (F ig. 5). The movements of the wheels 3l and 32 in the direction of their axis, are conjugated by means of a bar carrying two forks 36 engaging in circular grooves 37 formed in the hubs of the wheels 31 and 32. The bar 35 slides in two fixed supports p t illelly to the axis of the wheels, and this an, .f ement assures the conjugated movement of the wheels 3l, 32, in such a manner that when one of these wheels is engaged with a wheel 29, the other is engaged with a wheel 30, and vice versi, and also in such ainan ner that when one of these wheels is situated in an intermediate position, that is to say,

,is not engaged either with 29 or with 30,

the other wheel will be likewise in the same non-engaged position. The movement of the bar 35 is produced by means of the fork lever 38, shaft 39, and outer lever 22. Finally, the bottom of the (Eig. lo) formed ook carries a boss lil -`:ith two .inverse ference with a roller 4l which rolls over these two ramps during the lateral movements of the wheel 32. The details of this latter arrangement are shown in Figs. to

14. For the clearness of the drawings it is iis to the opposing spring 23 (Fig, ll), the only 120 stable positions which the lever 22 can occupy, are the two end positions 22 and 22. to which correspond the engaged positions of the wheels 3l and 32.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: Assuming that the motor 2l is not in operation; the spring 23 then holds the lever 22 in the position 22. The wheel 3l is engaged with the wheel 29, and the wheel 32 is engaged with the wheel 30, that is to 130 the motor 2l by .I0

helical rams l0 and l0, and the wheel 32 is provided on its circumiii say, the rotation oft the shaft 27 is'due to the rotation of the shaft 255and thesha'ft 2S is rotated by the shaft 26. The tightening of the brakes is therefore produced by the butler plungers, and the release of the brakes is produced by the draw-bar. yThis is the position for forward travel. When the driver wishes to change over to rear-.

ward travel, after havingreleased the air brakes oi the locomotive andthe tender, and before opening the regulator, motors 21 by admitting pressure to the pipe supplying said motors. Then on each vehicle the motor 21 moves'the lever 22 into the position 22, and the result is a movement oi the two wheels 31 and 32 from right to left. This movement causes iirst a disengagement of the two wheels 131 and 32 from the wheels 29 and 30 with which they were engaged. This disengagement having been effected, the. `following operations will now take place: f

(a) T all the brake parts are in the position of rest, that is to say, if the buffer springs of the vehicle as well as the draw springs are not compressedthe pins of the wheels 31 and 32 and the corresponding notches of the wheels 29 and of the wheels 3() will be situated leach in iront of the other, the outer levers 15,17, 19 and 2O (Figs. 5 and 6) being all brought up against their stops by the springs 211. As the movement continues from right to left, the wheel 31 will engage the pin on its left Aface in the notch ot the wheel 30. As to the wheel 52, its roller 41 will come into contact with rthe ramp a0 (Fig. 12) and in rolling;` over said ramp it will compel the wheel 32 to rotate in the direction ot they arrow (Fig. 13) then on reaching the other ramp 450 the roller will follow it, and the wheel 32 pulled by the spring 21 acting upon the arm 2O (Fig. 5) will describe an equal angle in the reverse direction, so that the pin on its lett tace will take up a position in front of the notchof the wheel 29. This pin of the wheel 32 will move into the notch ot the wheel 29. The lever 22 will then have the position indicated at 22, the wheel 31 being engaged with the wheel 30', and the wheel 32 being engaged with the wheel 29; the shaft 27 is driven by the shaft 26 and the shaft 28 is driven by the shaft 25, that is to say, the tightening ot the brake is produced by the draw-bar, and the release of the brake is produced by the buffer plungers. This position is that which is suitable for rearward travel.

(b) It the brake is on, and the builers have remained hard up against one another after having put the brakes on, the wheel 32 in continuing its movement to the left will cause a release of the brake, because by the action of its roller rolling over theramp leasing pawl- 9 (Fghe starts the v brakes is produced extent to effect the disengagement oitthe re- As the brake is released, the lever 19, shaft 2Tand wheel 31 come into the position oi rest, and the pin on the left tace ot the wheel 31 will be in -liront of the notch of the wheelv 30. The latter' is then likewise in the position of rest because it corresponds with the draw-hook, and the latter `is not pulled out. Ag, the movement of the bar 35 and of the wheels fili and 82 continues, the latter wheel, w en its roller L11 has moved oil the ramp 40', vill be returned into a position corresponding to rest, but the notch in the wheel 29 is not situated in `Iiront oi" the pin on the left face ol' the wheel 32,k because the buffers are hard up against each other and the buti'er springs are compressed. The ysaid pin therefore butts against the right tace of the wheel 29 yand the movement is stopped at that point until the occurrence of the lirst tightening of the brake in backward travel, or until the first movement of the buffers away from each other.

At the time of this lirst tightening or the brake, the following takes place: As the train travels backward the tightening of the by the draw-bar when its spring is sulhcientlycompressed, and it is `precededobviously by the opening morement oic the buffers and the expansion of the bullerr springs. 1When this kexpansion has become suilicient, the levers l5, the shaft 25 and the wheels 29 are back again in the position of rest; the notch oi the wheel 29 in front oi' the pin oi the wheel 32 and `as the latter is alwaysfpushed by the bar travel, and the braking is assured whether` it follows immediately or later on.

Nevertheless, in the case of a sudden application of this lirst braking, notwithstanding the play that i. provided (Figs. 1, 2 and fl), and notwithstanding the initial stressing of the buffer springs andthe drawsprings, there is the risk .that ii? the di .ivhook has already moved to a suliicient eb'.- tent, the shaft 2G and the wheel 30 will have moved out of' the position of 1 fore the pin oi" the wheel 31 has been able to engage therein, and the bral liithus produced by a too rapidmaneuver, take place. lnV order to provide a possibility ott this danger, the whe, be fitted vith the mechanism sh 15. Instead of beinemounte the shfa. the wheel l@ is internist. te sleeve l2 i 37 for receiving the iork 3G oi Wheel 32 (F ig. 8). Similarly, the sleeve 42 While sharing .the rotational motion of the shaft 28, is adapted .to slide along the said shaft and along the feather that eifects this `connection. Similarly, the Wheel 32 in rotating carries around With it the sleeve 4t2 by means of a feather, but it is capable of moving laterally between two collars provided on the sleeve. A spring i3 is interposed betiveen each collar and the corresponding face of the Wheel. ln short, the Wheel instead of being connected rigidly to the groove 37 and consequently to the bar 35 (Fig. 8), is connected clastically to it. lit

rest, the two springs a3 hold the Wheel 32 in a mid position equally Ldistant from the two collars, but if one or the other of the pins 34 of the Wheel 32 should encounter any resistance to its motion, in the lateral displacement of .the Wheel, the Wheel 32 is able, by compressing .one of the springs 43, to move nearer to the corresponding collar to an extent equal to the length of a pin lf now With a gear box provided with a Wheel 32 of this kind, the above description of the engagement in the case (b) be resumed, it will be seen that after the release of the brake has been produced by the Wheel 32 rotated by .the action of the roller Ll1 and the ramp 40 the Wheel 31 will assume the position of rest, and the pin on its left face Will be in front of the notch of the wheel 39 which is itsell in the position of rest.

As the bar 35 continues to move from right to left, the pin on the left face of the abutts against the right face of the Wheel 29 which is not in the rest position; but as the bar 35 continues its pushing movement, the sleeve l2 (Fig. 15) continues to move and compress the spring Lil?) on the right hand side, and this movement of the sleeve 4t2 along the axis of the wheel 32 is sufficient to allow of the pin on the left face of the Wheel 31 becoming completely engaged in the notch of the .vheel 30. The proper position for applying the brakes for backward travel is thus immediately assured.

As regards the position of the Wheel 32 for releasing Vthe brake, likewise for backward travel, it will be likewise assured in a certain manner before it becomes necessary. .ls a matter of fact, at the time of the first tightening of the brake which is produced by the movement of the draw-bar, and during the Whole period of this tightening, thel buffers are moved apart, the shaft 2o and the Wheels, 29, are in the rest position, and the pin on the left face of the Wheel 32 has all the time that is required for entering the notch of the Wheel 29. lt will be noted that the spring arrangement shoivn in .F ig. 15, and likewise as Well, the actuation b means of a roller and helical ramp shown. :in liigs. which would "rj-fe clifcnlt to employ in the case of the wheel 31 owing to the great strains to which the latter is subjected, are on the contrary easy as regards the Wheel 32, because this Wheel has only to transmit the small strain of disengaging the paWl 9.

(c) lf the brake is on and the buffers are apart the brake pressure being maintained solely by the ratchet 8 and the pawl 9 (Fig. 3) after the wheel 32 rotated by the action of its roller .il and the ramp 40 has disengaged the pawl 9, and the brake has been released, all the Wheels will be in position of rest, and the bar continues its movement so that the tivo Wheels 3l and 32 engage their left hand )ins immediately into the corresponding notches of the Wheels 30 and 29, and thus the position suitable for backward travel, tightening and release of the brakes, is immediately assured.

(d) lf the brake is off, and the pawl 9 is kept raised, that is to say, if the buffers are moved apart and the draw-bar is pulled with sulicient force, the shaft 25 and the Wheels 29 will be at rest, but the shaft 26 and the Wheels 30 are kept in operative position by the pull of the traction bar. In the lateral movement of the Wheels 31 and 32 from right to left, the left hand pin of the Wheel 3l Will therefore not have opposite to it the notch of the Wheel 30. This pin will abut against the right face of the Wheel 30 and will there temporarily arrest the motion at that point. lVhen the train starts again, the locomotive pushing it, the .lraiv-bars will be pulled out, and as the shaft 26 comes into the position of rest, the notch of the Wheel 3 will come opposite the left pin of the Wheel 3l which is still being pulled toward the left of the bar 35, and this pin Will engage therein at the ame time as the left pin of the Wheel. 32 Will engage in the notch of the Wheel 29.

It might be feared that as a consequence of the too rapid compression of the buffers, the left pin of the Wheel 32 might not have time to engage in the notch of the Wheel 29 before the latter has moved out of its position of rest. The result would be that the pin of the Wheel 35 could no longer enter the notch of the wheel 30 and the engagement of the Wheels 31 and 30 that is neces sary for tightening the brake, would not exist when the action of the draw-bar will cause the shaft 26 to rotate for of tightening the brake. Likewise as in case (b) hereinbefore described, the apparatus shown in Fig. l5 when applied to the Wheel 32 Will render such an accident impossible. 1f, as a result of the. too rapid moving away of the notch of the Wheel 29, the pin of the Wheel 32 should be unable to engage therein, and if this pin abuts against the right face of the Wheel 29, this will not prevent the pin :if the 'Wheel 31 the purpose 1 Nevertheless, if, owing to inadvertence, or

, that is to say the brakes being on,

from engaging completely in the notch of the .wheel 250', that is situated opposite, and the position for tightening tho brake will be` assured immediately. rl`he position for releasing the brake will not be yet assured, but this cannot cause any inconvenience because before the release can take place there must obviously be a tightening of the brake, and during the whole of this tightening the bufer plungers are moved apart, and the shaft 25 with its wheels 29 is in a position of rest. The left pin of the wheel 32, pushed by one of the springs (Fig. 15), has therefore all the requisite time for becoming engaged and the releasing position will be assured before it is required to come y into operation.

It might happen that the train may start while the draw-bars are still drawn tight, without kthe locomotive having to pushV it.

This would take place on a steep incline.`

rhe driver is generally notified of this as soon as he has taken off the air brake from the locomotive and the tender, and in such a case, if the backward travel is to be of short duration, the brakes must not be brought into the position for backward travel, but they must be retained in the position for forward travel; then the continuous braking of the train braking of the last vehicle, exactly as in the brake of a detached portion of the train.

in view of prolonged backward travel, the driver has admitted pressurek to the train pipe for the purpose of producing the backward travel position. of the brakes, the imthis positioncan be mediate taking up of effected without awaiting the end of the gradient by means of the following operation.

rhe last vehicle is braked solely. The other vehicles will crowd up against it one after the other and as the draw-hooks become loose, the shaft 26 will come into the position of rest, andthe wheel 31 can engage with the wheel 30. Then the whole train or a suiiicient portion of the train has been crowded up, the brakes on the last vehicle are taken off; y

All the cases that may occur in passing from the forward travel position to the backward travel position have been dealt with, but the normal case is the case (b), and the It will buffers hard up against each other.

be noted thatin this case as 1n the case (c) f and especially when the motors 2l are driven by compressed air, the release of the brakes will take place along the trainfrom the vehicles following the tender and thus assure starting with jolts. It will also be noted that in the case of braking a detached portion of the train during backward travel,

the gear boxes 14 will assume automatically would be produced by the travel is effected at once.

the forwardtravel position for brakingthe said detached portion by crowding the vehicles up against the last vehicle which is provided with a separate brake.

When the'gear for backward travel and are held in this position by the motors 2l, and if the driver should wish to change them over into the position for forward travel, he discharges the pneumatic or electric train pipe feeding the motors 2l. As the motive action ceases, the lever 22 (Fig. 5) is returned by the spring from the position 22 into the position 22. This motion transmitted to the bar 35 and to the wheels 3l and 32, has the first result of disengaging the wheels'l and 32 from the wheels 30 and 29, with which theyl are in engagement, The movement of the wheels 31 and 32 being continued from left to right, the series of operations will be readily understood according as the cases (a), (b), (c), (d) occur, said cases corresponding to the cases (a), (b), (c), (d),

(a) Brakes off, the draw springs and the buffer springs not deformed, or only very all the correspondingy slightly deformed; parts of the gear boX are in the position of rest; the complete coupling for forward Brakes on, the draw hooks pulled out, and the draw springs deformed; this casecorresponds with the case (lo), and is the normal case, occurring after a stoppage, by bral-ing, of the backward travel. f

l. Disengagement of the releasing pawl 9 by the action of the wheel 32 and tighten- 'ingl of the brake. A p

2. Stoppage of the sliding movement of the wheel 32 by its right pin which abuts against the full portion of the wheel 30. But if the wheel 32 is fitted with they mechanism shown in Fig. l5, the bar and the wheel 3l will, however, stillcontinue' their sliding movement, and the wheel 3l will engage with the wheel 29', thus assuring the position for tightening the brake, v

boxes are in the position i'io the wheel 32 are in a position of rest. As

soon as the brake is released by the disengage/ment of the wheel 32,

of rest, and the engagement of the wheels 31 and 29, 32 and 30 may take place; the connection is at once complete.

(d Brakes off, the buffers hard up against the pawl 9 by the action of the shaft 27 and the wheel 31 `will return into their position cach other and maintaining the pawl 9 in its position oi rest:

1. The shaft and the wheels 29 not be` ing in a position of rest, the right pin of the wheel 31 will abut against the full portion ot' the wheel 29.

2. rhe train on starting being pulled by the locomotive, the buffers move apart and thus allow the immediate engagement of the wheel 31 with the wheel 29', this engagement being rendered certain by the mechanism shown in F ig. 5. The engagement of the wheel S2 with the wheel 30 takes place at the saine time or it takes place during the next Jollowing lirst putting on of the brakes. lt the train in starting on a steep gradient pushes the locomotive, the buffers will not move apart andthe wheels 31 and 29 are unable to engage. In such a case the moving part of the buffers and the engagement of the wheels 81 and 29 are effected, by startingwith the brake put on on the last vehicle, or bybraking this last vehicleas soon as-the starting has taken place. placing the brakes in the ward travel, the locomotive leased, while maintaining brake engaged in its position for backward travel, andbraking the last vehicle, which will cause the whole train to be braked and to be stopped, the draw-bars being pulled out. l rllhe train pipe for the continuous brak.- ing will then alone be discharged, and the engagement for forward travel will take place as in the case (b).

It will be noted that more particularly with compressed air working, the release of the brakesin the case (b) and (c) will take place gradually from the first vehicle to the last vehicle of the train, thus readily allowing of starting without jolting.

From the foregoing the operation of the gear box can take place during travel for the purpose of effecting a release of the brakes before it is produced by the action of the draw-bars or of the butter plungers. This might be useful in certain cases, for instance for 'facilitating' rapid picking up after braking, and a special device for effecting this is hereinafter described. On the other hand, it has been noted that the ratchet (Fig. 3) may be so designed as to enter into engagement only after a. certain amount of braking has taken place, so that light brakings are therefore not continuous.

It is also to be noted that the mechanism shown in Fig. 15 may be replaced by an apparatus which will allow oi a lateral movement ot each pin of the wheel 32 relatively to thelatter, which will then remain fixed immovably on its hub.

The gear box hereinbefore described is applicable to the case of brakes operating vith continuous pressure. In the case of non-continuous pressure brakes, the ratchet position for forbrake may be re- Or again, beforev the continuousV extensions are .takes place only 8 and the pawl 9 are omitted, as well as the vcorresponding parts of the gear box, namely wheel 32, wheel 29, wheel and ramps'y 40 and 40. The operation of the box thus simplified is similar to that which has been described in each of the cases (a), 1, (e, ci), and co, co, ed, en a@ rake assuming automatically its position of release as soon as the wheel 31 is disengaged, either from the wheel 29 or from the wheel. 30.

Two gear boxes may be provided on each vehicle, each actuating the rodding of one axle or of one bogie, and operated respectively by the draw-bar and the pair of buffers of the corresponding end of the vehicle; this is the case of the gear box shown in Figs. 5 to 7.A Or all the brake blocks oi', the vehicle may be operated by a single gear box controlled both by the front draw gear andthe back. draw gear .of the vehicle.

Fig. 16y is a diagrammatic view ot the external connections of a single gear box ot this kind.

The levers 15 and 17 of Fig. 6 are extended beyond the shafts 25 and 26 .vhich they control, by levers 15 and 17 and these pivoted to the rods 16 and 10 leading tothe buffer plungers and the draw-bar at the other end of the vehicle. Guide slots 44e are provided for the pivots of the rods 16 and 16, 10 and 10', connecting with` the levers which they actuate, in such a manner that these rods pull the levers only inthe directionl or' the action. that corresponds tothe pull of the rods, and they cannot be pulledv by the levers except likewise in the direction of the pull. These guide slots are not indispensable because (Figs- 1 and 2) the connection between 1 and the end T ot the member 3 takes place only in one direction, and similarly the connection between 11 and 10 (Figs. 1 and a) in one direction, at least within the limits of the play in the interior of 12 between the heads of the rods 11 and 10. rIhis play, being determined b v the action of the ratchet 8 (Fig. 3) would likewise besuiicient to allow of a free movement of the rod 10 bythe actionot' the movement ofthe rod 10, respectively ot the position of the bar 11. i

Nevertheless, the guide slots 44 prevent useless movements of the rods that are not working, and thus diminish the inertia of the entire system. Moreover, they prevent the rods 10 and 10', 16 and 16 from being strained compressively and consequently allow of their section being reduced.

It has been stated that for the purpose of allowing of handling single vehicles. it was necessary to provide a disengaging mechanism between the brakes and their operating parts. Now, in lthe gear which is described (Figs. 8 to 11), when boxv 6a Stop 50, it the lever vshun'tingoi"k same on sorting tracks,

always by pushing and not the lever is in mid position between its two end positions, this disengagement is et ected. This is the position shown in Figs. 8 to 1l. The brake is there shown released by the previousaction ot the wheel 52 and the ramps ll and 40 (Figs. 12 to lei), and its driving wheel 3l is disengaged like,- wise vrom the action of the buffer plungers and the draw-bar.

Vllheretore in order to disengage the brake, it will be suiiicient to move the lever 22 into its mid position and to maintain it in that position during the whole time that the brake is to be locked in the rest position.

kThe automatic control by the driver, of

this position oi" disengagement might be provided. ln view of the fact that the handling ot' single vehicles, as well as the iiyis etected almost pulling said vehicles, the gear box shown in Fig. 6 might be simply adapted for the purpose, by placing the position 'tor torward travel in dependence onthe action ot the motor 21, instead of leaving it in de pendenee on the opposing spring 23. The

single vehicle would therefore have its gear box in the position Jiior backward travel, and would be moved along by pushing without causing its brakes to come into operation.

A preferred Yterm of apparatus for permitting automatic control by the driver without supplementary parts or pipes will now be described.

This apparatus which is Carried by the face of the gear box opposite to that provided with the motor 2l and by the upper face of said box, is illustrated in liigs. l? and 1 8 which are respectively a iront view of the box i4 and a plan ot its upper part. rl`he interior ot the gear boi: is the same as that shown in lig. (i with thc exception o'l one modification, namely, the shaft 39 has been extended beyond the fork lever 3S, and it projects at the opposite tace the lever where it receives a lever l?) that is lined on it and is guided 'd its upper part by an are-shaped slot lo. @ne of' the two end positions or lo occupied by the lever a5 when the lever 22 (Fig. il) orcupies the corresponding position 22 or 227, and when the lever 22 is situated inthe mid position ,""csponding to the disengagement oit the 1'e. the lever lo will also be equally distwo end positionfei. rThis poshown in Fig. i7. entire f n ot the gear bor. is held in this ion by a spring pawl i7 that enlS lined on the lever; The is formed with a'ptail 479 and its t is limited by the stop 50. 7When the pawl is at rest, lying against its Li5 starting trom the tart 1from its s'tion of the lever l5 is rihe lever lo and consequently the ine luin' mid po.

es a stud rthis mon ent, the lever Li5 is to that olik position to is moved toward 5U y the action the motor it will meet the head et the pawl 4i', and in continuing its movement it will push it toward the ht until the stud lf3 sliding over the nose ol `ie Vpavfl all?, engages with its underside. 'i'he lever is then in its mid position, and if the action oit the motor 2l. ceases at held in this position by the pawl el" and will thus oppose the return to the rear ot the whole mechanism pulled. by the opposing spring (Fig. ll). it the action of the motor 2l continues beyond the mid position, the lever Lio, or rather its stud ab, acting upon the body ot the pawl 4T, will push the latter toward the right. But when the action of the motor ceases, the pawl i7 pushed by its spring, follows the stud 4&3, and arrests again the lever Ll5 in its mid position.

However, it the motor 2i acts until the lever has reached the position i5, the

pawl i7 will be sutiiciently pushed back to the right to enable its tail 4:9 to engage with the underside oil the nose oit the spring pawl 5i, the prolonged end ,oit which is guided by the slot 52 and bends then over the gear box. From this moment onward the pawl l? being held, is no longer able to iollow the stud 48 in the rearward movement ot the lever llo, and the latter can then move Ylireely within the area comprised be tween i5 and l5, without affecting the pawl 47. it will therefore be seen that whether a start is made trom the initial position, that is to say,.with the pawlv 4l? lreo and bearingagainst its stop, or whether a start is made from the normal position, that is to say, with the pawl #i7 held by the pawl 5l, the actuation of the gear box i4, both- 'for forward travel and backward travel.v will beeiiiected without being interiered with by the pawl 47.

llt, onthe contrary, the nose ot pai/vl il being 'treed from the pawl 5l the lever L l5 be caused to describe troni one halt only o the sector ll-h. or alittle more than hali', the said lever will not be able to return toward lo from mid position because it is engr -d by the pawl i 'To tree the pawl il' it will then be suini-lent to moveit trom its mid position as far as 45, which movement by engaging the pawl 47 with the pawl 5l, will allow it to return freely to iunder the acti-on ot the op posing spring This allows of'. ing the brake on The action ot the motor 2l is replaced by the action ot two sliding bolts 53 and 5i operated Ytrom the ground on` each side ot the ve iicle bv means ot two handled chains and 5?--58 acting through the medium oit levers 59 and (i0 and under disengaging and reng "e als-sparate vehicle at v :2. rvlie st slioing bolt 5.73 is, together 1with stops o. and Sl, adjusted in :uch

a manner that d r ne its movement its nose G2 ated at rest outside of the sector 4o-4o will push the end of the lover and thus move the latter slightly bcyonl its mid position, so that its end (S3 strikes against the bent extension of the pawl 5l, shifts it toward the right, and causes the disengagement of the pawl 4T. rlfhe disengagement of the brake is then effected and the sliding` bolt 53 moved back by the spring 53, returns into its initial position ready for a fresh disengagement. The second sliding bolt produces the reni'igement in the position of forwardtravcl (tightening the brake by coinpression of the buffer springs). F or this purpose its stops and 64 are so adjusted that during its movement its nose 65 (which at rest is situated outside the sector 45'- 4-5) shall push the lever into the posi.- tion 45, and its end will pass clear of it above the extension of the pawl 5l. The

i has thus become engaged by the the lever can be returned 7 (forpaw pawl i, ant by the spring` 23 into the position ward travel To facilitate the operation still further, the lever actuates, by means of two ropes or rods 6G a d (56, two de f'ices for indicating the position of the brake, one on each side of the vehicle.

By adding a device for locking the sliding bolt 54 at the end of its operative stroke, it would be possible also to lock the lever in the position 45, and to assure likewise at will on the isolated vehicle the backward travel position of the braking' apparatus. But, in general, this is not necessar7 because the two positions, disengagement and forward travel, are sufficient for all usual maneuvers. As a matter of fact in the disengaged position. the vehicles either singly or in batches can be both pulled and pushed, and likewise by the easy and rapid operation of one of the chains 57 or 58, the forward travel position can be restablished in such a manner that the single vehicle or the batch of vehicles will put their brakes on automatically on arriving at the stop or against the batch of vehicles already in place. In the case of a fresh handling of the vehicles a pull upon the chains 57, 58 will produce through the medium of the sliding bolt 54 a simple release of the brake with its'immediate return into the forward travel position. A pull upon the chain -56 will assure the release of the brake and place it in the disengaged position. Similarly, during the marshaling or sorting' maneuvers when the vehicle or a batch of vehicles has been detached from the train, the brakes will place themselves immediately in the forward travel position without being on. If the The heel 67 sorting is effected by gravity, they are left in this position and the brake blocks will tighten when the vehicles arrive at the fixed stop, or by pulling the chain as the vehicle has been detached or even before, they can be placed in the disengaged position. If the sorting is done by iiyshunting, obviously except in the case of au`- ton'iatic couplings, the vehicles must be placed in the disengaged position (this ymay be done as hereinafter described automatically by the driver for' the purpose of accelera-ting the maneuver when it is desired `to ily-shunt a batch of vehicles). Then the vehicles have been fly-shunted, they can be left in the disengaged position or they can be placed' in the forward travel position by acting upon theV chain 57-58, and then the vehicles will brake themselves on arriving at the stop.

'As shown in the foregoing, if the pawl 47 is in the position illustrated in Fig. 17, that is to say, freed from the pawl 5l,fwhen the lever 45 starts from the position 45 by the action of the motor 2l, the lever 45 has its stud 48 engaged by the pawl 47 immediately it has passed the mid position, and this stud remains engaged so as to arrest the lever on its return in the mid position, so long as this lever has not reached a position very near to' 45, in which position the tail 49 of the pawl 47 is engaged by the pawl 5l. The driver would then have it: in his power to cause the lever to come automatically into its mid position if the said lever 45 should on starting from 45, find the pawl 47 freed from the pawl 5l. This condition will be brought about by providing the lever 45 with av heel-piece 67, and by providing the pawl 5l with a tail 68 as indicated in dot a d dash lines in F ig. 17. When the lever 45 occupies the 4position 45, its heel 67 will raise the tail G8 and thus nieve the pawl 5l to the right, thereby freeing the pawl 47. should move away from the tail 68 after a Slight movement of the lever 45, in any case before the latter reaches the mid position. These two parts 67 and 68 will not in any way interfere with the functions which the pawls 47 and 5l have already performed, and this will even allow of omitting on the upper face of the gear box the extension of the pawl 5l which will no longer require to be disengaged by the end of the sliding bolt 53. he positions 45, forward travel, and 45, backward travel, will then be obtained as before by charging or discharging the train pipe. The mid position disengagement7 will be produced automatically by placing the train pipe under half pressure in such a manner as to enable the motor 2l to move the lever into the mid position, while however its action'is balanced, slightly beyond that position, by the increasing tension of the opposing spring 23. When 55`56 as soon v it will be sufficient therefore to reduce the voltage if the supply is taken from a shunt circuit, or to interpose alresistance if the supply is in series. Then the motor is driven by air pressure, it will be sufficient to charge the train pipe through the medium a suitably adjusted pressure-reducing device. f

lllhen the electric power is supplied from a shunt circuit there is a drop in voltagey from the hrst vehicle to the last vehicle of the train, and in the case of a pneumatic train pipe there is a fall in pressure even when the permanenty working is established because the delivery is not m'l, for instance on account of leakage; but the distance between the mid position at which engagement by the pawl begins, and the position at which it vfinishes owing `to the engagement of the pawl 4:7 by the pawl 51, gives a mar-y gin that is amply suicient to make up for 'these losses in the air pressure.

rlhe operation of the brakes, instead of being assured by the existing connecting members, namely the buffer plungers and drawbars, may also be eifected by aspecial connecting member between the vehicles.

Having now described my invention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letf ters Patent is:

1. A brake installation for railway yvehicles, comprising the combination of brakes, actuating means for said brakes, a buffer plunger, va draw-bar and a clutch mecha nism controlled by the driver and adapted to operatively connect the said actuating means either with the buffer plunger or the draw-bar, whereby the said actuating means are operated by the buffer plunger when traveling forward and by the draw-bar when traveling backward. y

2. A brake installation for railway vehicles, comprising the combination ofv brakes, actuating means for said brakes, a buffer plunger, which is normally in operative connection with the said actuating means, a locking mechanism adapted to vkeep the brake on, a draw-bar, which is normally in operative connection with the locking mechanism and a clutch mechanism controlled by the driver and adapted to interchange the connections between the buffer plunger and the draw-bar on the one hand andthe said actuating means and the locking mechanism on the other hand.

3. A brake installation for railway vehicles, comprising the combination of brakes, actuating means for said brakes, a buffer plunger, a rod operatively connected to said buffer plunger, an oscillating shaft adapted to Vbe Voperated by said rod, two notched wheelscarried on said shaft, a draw-bar, a rod operatively connected. to said draw-bar, an oscillating shaft adapted to be operated by saidy rod, two notched wheels carried on said shaft, two transmitting shafts, two pin i wheels splined on said shafts respectively and adapted toengage with the notched wheels` means for operatively connecting one of said transmitting shafts to thebrake actuating means,

adapted to keep the brakes on, means for operatively connecting the other transmitting shaft to said locking mechanism, and means controlled by the driver for axially moving both of said pin wheels along their respective shafts to engagethe same with the notched wheels or disengage the same therefrom, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

el. A brake installation for yrailway vehicles, comprising the combination of brakes, actuating means for saidbrakes, a buffer plunger which is normally in operative connection with the said actuating means, a locking mechanism kadapted to keep the brakes on, a draw-bar which is normally in operative connection with the locking mechanism anda clutch mechanism controlled by the driver and adapted to interchange the connections between `the buffer plunger andr the draw-bar on the one hand yand the said actuating means and the locking mechanism on the other` hand, said clutch mechanism embodying means whereby in the operation of the clutch mechanism, the brakes are first released if they were on.

,5. A brake installation for railway vehicles, comprising the combination of brakes, actuating means for saidvbrakes, a buffer plunger, a rod operatively connected to said buffer plunger, an oscillating shaft adapted vto be `operated by said rod, two notched wheels carried on said shaft, a draw-bar, a rod operatively connected to said draw-bar, anoscillating shaft adapted to be operated by said rod, two notched wheels carried on said shaft, two transmitting shafts, two pin wheels splined on said shafts, respectively Aand adapted to engage with the notchedv wheels means for operatively connecting adapted to keep operatively connecting the other transmit ting shaft to said locking mechanism, a xed cam adapted to yimpart a rotation to the pin wheel on said last mentioned transmitting shaft when said wheel is displaced axially, whereby in the operation of the clutch mechanism, the brakes are first released if they were on, and means controlled by the driver for axially moving both of the pin wheels along their respective shafts to engage the same with the notched wheels or disengage the same therefrom substantially as described and lfor the purpose Vset forth.

6. A brake installation for railway ve hicles, comprising the combination of a locking mechanism ting' shaif'ts, two pin wheels splined on said shafts, respectively and adapted to engage with the notched wheels, means for operatively Vconnecting one or' said transmitting sha-lits to the brake actuating means, a locking mechanism adapted to keep the brakes on, means for operatively connecting the other transmitting shaft to said locking mechanism, a i'ixed cam adapted to impart a. rotation to the pin wheel on said last mentioned transmitting shaft when said wheel is displaced axially, whereby in the operation of the clutch mechanism, the brakes are iirst released it they were on, means for yieloingly supporting said last mentioned wheel in an axial direction on its transmitting shaiit and means controlled by the driver for axially moving both of the pin wheels along their respective shafts to engage the s: me with the notched wheels or disengage the same therefrom, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

7. A brake installation for railway ve hicles, comprising the combination of brakes, actuating means tor said brakes, butter plungers at both ends of the vehicle, a locking mechanism adapted to keep the brakes on, draw-bars at both ends oit' the carriage, and a single clutch mechanism controlled by the driveihand adapted to interchange the connections between the buffer plungers and the draw-bars on the one hand and the said actuating means and the locking` mechanism on the other han-n.

S. A brake installation for railway -vehicles, comprising the combination of brakes, actuatine means for said brakes, a. bniter plunger which is normally in operative connection with the sain actuating means, a locking mechanism aeapted to keep the brakes on, a draw-bar which is normally in operative connectiony with the locking mechanism, a clutch mechanism adapted to interchange the connections between the 1cutter plunger and the draw-bar on the one hand and the said actuating means and the locking mechanism on the other nand, an operating oscillating' lever for said clutch mechanism adapted to assume three angular positions, the two extreme positions corresponding to interchanged connections betveen the above mentioned parts and the medium position corresponding to inoperative connections, means controlled by the driver for operating said lever, a retaining device adapted to hold the said lever in its medium position and hand controlled means for oporat` o' said lever.

9. A brake installation for railway vehicles, eon'iprising the combination of brakes, actuating means :"or said brakes, a butler plunger which is normally in operatire connection with the said actuating means, a locking mechanism adapted to li ep the bi ,kes on, a draw-bar, which is operative connection with the f Wisin, a clutch mechanism ange the connections behielos, comprising the combination of brakes, acti vating means for said brakes, a bnimer plunger, which is normally in operaive connectii'in with the said actuating ieans, a locking mechanism adapted to keep yie brakes on, a draw-bar, which is normally i. operative connection with the locking mechanism, a clutch mechanism adapted to interchange the connections between the butler plunger and the draw-bar on the onev hand and the actuating means and the locking mechanism on the other hand, an operatii oscillating lever for said clutch mechanism adapted to assume three angular positions, the two extreme positions correspondii'ig to interchangedconnections between the above mentioned parts and the medium position corresponding to inoperat' e connections, means controlled by the driver iior operating said lever, a retaining device embodyi Y, to hold the said lever in its medium position, a controlling pawl adapted to hold the retaining pawl in. an inoperative position, means tor relcasing'said controlling pawl anda hand controlled member adapted to bring the oscillating lever to one of its extreme operative positions.

In testimony whereo't l have name to this specification. Y

PERRE FRANQOS DUFOUR.

signed my e', a retaining pawl adapted 

